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STATE SPORTS ROUNDUP: Stricker three shots behind leaders at John Deere

In golf, Steve Stricker of Madison is tied for 13th after the first round of the P-G-A’s John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois. Stricker – who won the tournament in three of the last four years – shot a four-under-par 67 yesterday. He’s three strokes behind first-round leaders Zach Johnson and Camilo Villegas. Jerry Kelly of Madison is tied for 26th, after shooting a three-under-68. Pewaukee native Mark Wilson fired a one-over-72, and is tied for 108th going into today’s second round.

Luke Ridnour’s return to Milwaukee was made official yesterday, after the Bucks completed a three-team trade with Minnesota and Oklahoma City. Ridnour played two seasons in Milwaukee before leaving for the Timberwolves in 2010. The Wolves sent Ridnour back to the Bucks along with a second-round pick in next year’s draft. The Bucks also received cash considerations from Oklahoma City. Milwaukee agreed to pick up Ridnour’s four-point-three million salary for next year, to give the Timberwolves enough salary cap space to sign free-agent forward Corey Brewer from Denver. The Bucks also gave Oklahoma City the draft rights to second-round pick Szymon Szewczyk. The 32-year-old Ridnour started every game for Minnesota last season at shooting guard, often playing against much bigger opponents. He’ll return to his natural point guard spot for Milwaukee. Ridnour is a 10-year N-B-A veteran.

Bucks’ first-round draft choice Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 20 points yesterday, as his native Greece beat Germany 65-to-56 at the Under-20 European tournament in Estonia. Greece is now 3-and-0 in Group “A” in the preliminary round. They’ll play Georgia today.

Rhinelander native Dan Forsman is tied for 21st after the opening round of the U-S Senior Open in Omaha. He shot an even-par 70 yesterday at the Omaha Country Club. Seven players are tied for the lead at three-under-67 – Gary Hallberg, Tom Lehman, Mark O’Meara, Fred Funk, Jay Don Blake, Michael Allen, and Kenny Perry.

Safety Morgan Burnett appears to be the next Green Bay Packer in line for a long-term contract. CBS Sports says the Packers are trying to quote, “hammer out” a deal with Burnett – who was one of just two NFL players to be on the field for every defensive snap last season. He led Green Bay in tackles with 123. Burnett is in the final year of his rookie contract, and is scheduled to make just over one-point-three million dollars.

The Wisconsin football team will get back to playing three of its biggest rivals in 2016. The Badgers are not playing Ohio State, Michigan State, and Michigan in 2014-and-’15, because Wisconsin will be in the opposite division from the other three. The Big Ten Conference schedules for 2016-and-’17 were released yesterday – and the Badgers will have three interdivisional contests that year against the Buckeyes, Spartans, and Wolverines. Of those three, only Michigan is on the Badgers’ schedule for 2017. Neither Michigan nor Michigan State is on this year’s Wisconsin schedule. The Badgers play at Ohio State on September 28th.

Jason Schulte is a reporter for the New Richmond News since February 2015. Prior to that he spent eight years at the Pierce County Herald in Ellsworth. His duties with the News will include covering news out of Hammond and Roberts along with action from St. Croix County court system. He lives in Roberts.